Introduction

This page describes the status of support for card readers in Linux.

A card reader is a device for accessing the data on a memory card such as a CompactFlash, secure digital or Multimedia Card. Most card readers also offer write capability. Card readers can be categorized by the type and quantity of card slots:

Single card reader (e.g. access 1 SD card)

Multi card reader (e.g. access 9 card types in 1 device)

Series card reader (e.g. access 4 SD cards)

Support for card readers in Linux is not comprehensive and few manufacturers provide Linux drivers that match the quality of the available Windows drivers. One website promoting better support for Card Readers in Linux is the interestingly named Movement for the Use of Smart Cards in a Linux Environment M.U.S.C.L.E.. There you will find in formation on many of the available drivers for card readers and Driver Developer Kits for hardware manufacturers and users who want to write drivers.

Configuration

The first step in making the card reader work is always finding the manufacturer and model, then a suitable driver. A good way of doing this is to use the Debian GNU/Linux device driver check page. Open a terminal and paste the following code:

$ lspci -n

Copy the results into the textfield found on the Debian GNU/Linux device driver check page and click to proceed. You should see hardware vendor information listed and for any recognised devices will be the name of the supporting driver. Devices not known show "no information". Remember to help the Device Driver check page by giving them some system information.

If you are fortunate enough to have a driver listed you can search the internet for more information, ask for ["ubuntu/about-ubuntu/C/help.html" help] and then list your results in the table below.